Peter's Jig

Cambridge Morris Men - Peter's Jig

Saturday 28th November 2015
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC v Finnart AFC
Oban Community Sports Field (3G)
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Mark Cameron

Last Saturday's thrilling 4 - 4 draw away at Goldenhill marked the end of a seven match winning streak for Saints. Although it was disappointing to drop two valuable league points the draw at least extends Saints unbeaten run in all competitions which now stretches back to 12th September. This Saturday Saints entertain Finnart in what should be an evenly matched contest with both teams in good recent form. Saturday's visitors currently sit in seventh place in the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division with six points from six games five points behind Saints who have played one game more. Saints had no home fixture against Finnart last season as the boys from Bridgeton were unable to travel on the allotted date with Saints eventually being awarded the three points by a Committee decision. When the two sides met at Glencruitten in season 2013-14 they were both very much in the title hunt and it was Saints who prevailed on that occasion thanks in no small measure to goalkeeper Daniel Cassells who pulled off two stunning penalty saves from Finnart skipper Brian Blair. In an incident packed game Saints took the lead through Ross Maitland and, after surviving the two Finnart penalties, wrapped things up against a tiring Finnart defence with two late goals from substitute Mattie Rippon.

It was an entirely different story when the sides met at Glasgow Green last November when Finnart recorded their first ever victory over Saints. Finnart again won two penalties in the match which were this time clinically dispatched by Andy Robertson giving Daniel Cassells no chance of repeating his previous heroics. The two second half penalties added to first half goals from Jason McArthur and Ben Mills to give Finnart an unassailable 4 - 0 lead, however to their Credit Saints never gave up and were rewarded for their tenacity with an 83rd minute Donald Campbell consolation goal.

Only time will tell whether it will be a jig of delight or a long trudge back to the changing rooms at full time but with Finnart's last two outings in league and cup seeing them rack up thirteen goals without reply and Saints rediscovered eye for goal all bodes well for another cracking game on Saturday. Both sides are desperate for league points to stay in touch with early pace setters St Joseph's FP and Inverclyde and will provide an entertaining spectacle for what, despite the dismal weather forecast, will hopefully be a good crowd of spectators. Saints have mixed news on the injury front with Dougal Graham returning to fitness after an injury sustained in training last week but Keith Millar looks likely to be out for a couple of weeks and joins Myles McAuley on the sidelines. Martin Bonar is also unavailable but with those exceptions Manager Alex Craik will have a strong squad to choose from.

Finnart AFC 2014 - 15

Finnart's league fixtures so far this season:-

22nd August 2015 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 4 - 0 Finnart

29th August 2015 Finnart 2 - 1 East Kilbride Rolls Royce

19th September 2015 St Joseph's 2 - 1 Finnart

10th October 2015 Finnart 1 - 2 Shawlands FP

24th October 2015 Finnart 2 - 3 Alba Thistle

7th November 2015 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 0 - 5 Finnart

Finnart's SAFL Centenary Cup results this season:-

First Round
15th August 2015 Busby 1 - 5 Finnart

Second Round
12th September 2015 Finnart 1 - 6 Goldenhill

Finnart's Scottish Amateur Cup results this season:-

First Round
5th September 2015 FC Clydebank 3 - 2 Finnart

Finnart's West of Scotland Amateur Cup results so far this season:-

First Round
Bye

Second Round
17th October 2015 Finnart 6 - 2 Craigneuk

Third Round
21st November 2015 Condorrat 0 - 8 Finnart

Finnart's SAFL record:-

2010/11
Premier Division Two Champions (Promoted)

2011/12
Premier Division One Champions (Promoted)
Centenary Cup Runners Up to Postal United

2012/13
Premier Division 7th

2013/14
Premier Division 4th

2014/15
Premier Division 4th

Centenary Cup Runners Up to Goldenhill

Saints record against Finnart:-

2012/13
Oban Saints 4 - 1 Finnart
Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2013/14
Oban Saints 3 - 0 Finnart

Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2014/15
Finnart 4 - 1 Oban Saints
Oban Saints v Finnart (Unfulfilled Fixture, Points awarded to Saints)

Action from Finnart's last visit to Oban on 26th April 2014

Ross Maitland opens the scoring for Saints

   Daniel Cassells keeps Saints in front with his second penalty save

Mattie Rippon's emphatic right foot finish puts Saints 2 - 0 up

Lewis Cameron skips through the Finnart defence to set up Saints third goal

Mattie Rippon turns in Lewis Cameron's cut back to seal the three points for Saints

Lewis congratulates Mattie as coach Peter MacCallum dances a jig of delight

SAFL Select

Last Sunday Donald Campbell and Jamie Graham turned out for the Scottish Amateur Football League Select in an Inter League Cup Quarter Final tie against the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Select at Dalziel Park, Motherwell. The Ayrshire Select won a tight match 4 - 2 with the SAFL goals coming from Steven McAuley of Kings Park Rangers and David Edwards of Ferguslie Star. Ayrshire will now meet the Caledonian League Select in the Semi Finals after the Cally Select knocked out Lothian and Edinburgh by three goals to nil also last Sunday. In the other Semi Final Aberdeenshire, who received a Quarter Final stage bye, will meet the winners of the one remaining Quarter Final tie between the Central Scottish Amateur League and the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Football League which will be played at Dalziel Park this Sunday.

SAFL Jimmy Marshall Trophy

The draw for the first and second rounds of the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy took place on Wednesday night. Only Bridgewater and Rosehill Star will be required to play a first round tie with all other clubs going straight into round two. Saints were handed a very difficult second round away tie against last season's Premier Division One Champions East Kilbride FC Amateurs. The second round ties will be played in January 2016 on a date yet to be set.

#monthesaints